Jesus Sows, We Reap

A key theme in John 4 when Jesus met with the Samaritan woman and was met by the nobleman is sowing and reaping.  Whether Jesus conversed with an outcast woman or a nobleman, His truth convinced His hearers and bore spiritual fruit through faith.  After Jesus claimed to be the source of Living Water that gives everlasting life, He confirmed His statement with a word of knowledge concerning the woman being married 5 times and was living with a man she was not married to.  When she said she heard the Messiah was coming, Jesus told her:  "I that speak to you am He."  She immediately left her waterpot and went to the men of Samaria to bid them come and see:  "Is not this the Christ?"

After the woman of Samaria went to tell the townsfolk of her discovery, Jesus addressed His disciples.  While they were thinking about food to eat, Jesus told them His food was to do the will of God to gather a harvest--not of grain but of souls.  He said in John 4:36-38, "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷ For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' ³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labours."  Amazingly, the woman provided an example of what Jesus spoke of.  He scattered good seed of Gospel truth upon the Samaritan woman she received, shared with others, and immediately bore fruit by people believing in Jesus based on her testimony.  They both rejoiced in the spiritual harvest.  More still came to faith in Him by hearing Him themselves as John 4:41-42 affirms:  "And many more believed because of His own word. ⁴² Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

When Jesus was in Galilee a couple days later He was approached by a nobleman whose son was sick.  He requested Jesus accompany him to his home to heal his son.  John 4:50 states, "Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way."  While the man traveled home he was met by his servants who came to intercept him with the good news his son had made a miraculous, full recovery.  The nobleman asked when exactly the fever left his son and he began to recover.  They revealed it was the exact time Jesus said, "Your son lives."  John 4:53 tells us what happened:  "So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household."  First the man believed what Jesus said, and then he believed (based upon the miraculous healing of his son) that Jesus was the Christ.  Convinced of this truth he excitedly shared the truth with his whole household, and they all came to saving faith in Jesus too.

Like the farmer in the parable sowed good seed that is the word of God, Jesus sowed truth in conversations He had with the Samaritan woman, His disciples and the nobleman.  Jesus sowed, and the Samaritan and the nobleman reaped spiritual fruit.  He had done all the work, and their work was to share the truth of what Jesus had said, done and Who He is.  Many people came to faith by the testimony of people who met and talked with Jesus, and the same is true for disciples of Jesus today.  He has sent us to reap for which we have not laboured, to enter into His labour by gladly sharing the truth about Jesus, the Messiah sent to seek and save sinners.  Whether we sow, water or reap, Jesus rejoices with us when fruit is gathered for eternal life.  Jesus sows and by His grace we reap.